Abstract: The chilling tolerance of 32 genotypes of kidney bean（Phaseolus vulgaris L.） seedlings were preliminary identified， and a variety with higher chilling tolerance named as Chaojijiulibai， a variety with lower chilling tolerance named as Dajiang\|106\|jiadouwang were screened out， and the variety named as Jiadouwang No.1， whose chilling tolerance was between the former two， was selected as the control. These three varieties were taken as the materials treated under low temperature stress in order to study the physiological indexes and the chilling resistance mechanisms. The results were as follows: Under low temperature stress at 5℃， the chilling injury index and electrolytic leakage of leaves of Chaojijiulibai were distinctly lower than those of the other two. The SOD， POD activity of three varieties all increased at first， then decreased， but the enzyme activity of Chaojijiulibai were always higher than that of Dajiang\|106\|jiadouwang. The enzyme activity of the control was always between two varieties and higher than that of Dajiang\|106\|jiadouwang. During the recovery period after low temperature stress， Pn and ΦPSⅡ of Dajiang\|106\|jiadouwang were distinctly lower than those of the control， but Pn and ΦPSⅡ of Chaojijiulibai were distinctly higher than those of the control. In conclusion， Chaojijiulibai has a better chilling tolerance than that of Dajiang\|106\|jiadouwang and the control.

Key words: kidney bean, chilling tolerance, low temperature stress